


Working Together

by bushViperCutie



Series: October Prompts 2020 [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: First Kiss, Herbology, Herbology Class (Harry Potter), Hogwarts, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert, Young Severus Snape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 06:49:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26847709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bushViperCutie/pseuds/bushViperCutie
Summary: Severus and you are assigned to work together for Herbology. Things keep happening and unless you want to fail first term, you must take action.(Day 3)
Relationships: Severus Snape/Reader, Severus Snape/You
Series: October Prompts 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1953055
Comments: 4
Kudos: 58





	Working Together

**Author's Note:**

> Day three! My own challenging prompt for October again! HAPPY SPOOKTOBER! :D
> 
>  **Day 3 Prompt:** Shadows + knarl (small magical hedgehog almost identical to its Muggle-world counterpart and found across northern Europe and North America; known to savage gardens)

#  **~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~**

“…and Snape and (L/n), please grab a planter box.” Professor Sprout rolled up her scroll and threw it behind her on a pile of parchments and papers in a large pot. “Alright class, two hours, that should be plenty of time to get set up.”

You looked around for Severus, spotting him in the back of the green house by the planter boxes. He was already grabbing the materials before even meeting up first. You rolled your eyes and made your way to his usual spot, sitting down next to his book. He was one of the only ones with a textbook out and he was always scribbling in it despite not really needing to. Sprout never quizzed the class on all the extra stuff she said.

Severus turned, arms carrying the planter full of soil, seeds, and growth potions, and spotted you already waiting for him. He averted his eyes as he walked up to you and set all the stuff down on the table.

You hadn’t ever talked to him, but you knew well enough how he got. He only ever talked to his friends and anyone else could be noisy wind for all he cared. You pressed your lips together and began tearing the dirt apart in the planter so that it was soft and perfect for the roots that would eventually be pushing through it.

“You’re doing it wrong,” Severus grumbled.

You stepped aside and put your dirty hands to your hips. “Then why don’t you – ”

He immediately fixed the soil, breaking it apart further and then patted it down. “The top needs to be hard or else the roots will push through. They don’t feel which way is down. They grow into the easiest path.” He wiped his hands on his trousers and started mixing the potions into little containers.

“Oh.” You took the little seeds out of their pouches and pushed them through the dirt, patting it back down like Severus had done. “Can I do one?”

Severus stopped pouring into the last small container and sat back down on the stool, handing you the two bottles of PlantGrowth. You took them and poured in the clear one first and then looked at the other greener one.

“How much of this do I put in?”

He furrowed his brows. “If you don’t know how to then why ask to do it?”

You brushed off his comment with a laugh. You did feel like a fool, but you couldn’t help wanting to be involved. “Just tell me, will you?”

He stood again, almost bumping shoulders with you – he stepped to the side quickly just before – and touched the container with his dirty nail, holding it still as you poured. You both sat as the mixtures turned from light green to dark.

“Do you like herbology?” You turned to him.

He was picking dirt out if his nails and stopped. “Like it?”

You didn’t think the question would be so complicated for him. “Yes. Is it one of your favorites? It seems like it is.”

“No. It’s just a class.”

“But you put a lot of work into it. Into knowing and remembering everything.”

He shrugged, finally meeting your eyes. “What do you care anyways?”

You scoffed. The rest of the class went by slow as you waited for the potions to be ready. The second they turned a deep enough green Severus poured them over the dirt and labeled the box with his name and handed you the marker. You put down your own and grabbed the planter, setting it with the others. Class was over and by next week the plants should be in full bloom.

~ * ~ * ~

You knocked on Professor Sprout’s door nervously. You’d never been called to her office before and wondered what had happened. The door opened and you stepped in, ducking under some long leaves from one of her floating pots. Severus was in a chair next to the one she was motioning for you to take.

“I’ve called you in here because of your planter box.” She shook her head and sighed dramatically. “Well I’m not sure how to let you two down easy so I’ll just say it. Your leaves grew – in fact I believe they were the first to mature so good job – but they were destroyed. Completely ruined.”

“What?” Both you and Severus exclaimed and looked at each other.

“Wh-what happened to them?” You thought about your only involvement in the project and wondered if somehow you messed up the potion. It was a two-step mixture but you had been known for messing up much easier and far simpler things.

Professor Sprout shook her head. “I thought it was some sort of pest but none of the other leaves are harmed in any way. Something went through and completely bit only your leaves.”

You looked at Severus, trying not to look like you blamed him. You did know he had a bad habit of getting into fights with some of the other students. His eyes flicked to you and his face went red.

“I’ll be looking into it but I’ll ask you both to go down right now and redo it so that by next class they are at least grown enough to re-pot, alright?”

You nodded and stood, heading straight for the door. You marched out into the corridor and waited, hands on your hips, for Severus to come out. The second he closed the door to Sprout’s office you rounded on him finger pointed.

“You know who did this to our plants don’t you?”

He glared and headed towards the green houses.

You followed close behind. “Maybe if you stopped hexing them back they wouldn’t constantly be messing with you trying to ‘get back’ at you. Just let them have the last laugh! I don’t want our planter getting ruined again before next lesson!”

He turned sharply, trying to keep a faster pace but you jogged, staying close. You saw him glance at you several times but he didn’t respond, making you madder than you needed to be. You crossed your arms and breathed out, trying very hard not to blame him.

You got to the green house and stopped at your planter. It was completely ruined. The dirt was carved into, the leaves were brown and brittle, and the roots were torn completely from their seed bodies. This looked like the pathetic work of that group of boys who thought it’d be funny to cover the whole third floor in suds.

Severus took down the planter and dumped out the soil. You got the two bottles of different PlantGrowth and set the little glass containers down in order while Severus prepared the new soil and seeds. Within hours the planter was ready to put up again.

“It looks kind of sad next to all those better looking leaves. Ours is so empty. Maybe we should rough the others up a bit.” You turned to Severus and wiggled your brows, trying to lighten the mood.

He looked at you and rolled his eyes, but you could have sworn you saw a little twitch of his mouth. He left the green house leaving you standing there feeling weird. It was an odd feeling being able to make the grumpiest boy in school have to hold in a smile.

~ * ~ * ~

“WHAT?” You and Severus stared at your planter box.

“Ruined. Again.” Severus spoke through clenched teeth.

Professor Sprout was looking around through the soil, trying to spot anything that would indicate what ate all the leaves again. “Look. I’ve looked into several people – ”

“It was Potter and Black and Lupin! It’s them that did this!” You picked up a dried leaf and crushed it.

Severus stared at you but didn’t join in the accusations.

Professor Sprout held out both hands. “Now, now! Let me just say that Potter and his friends were with me all day, helping me clean up green-house one and two when this happened. I had JUST checked on your box and can say with certainty it wasn’t them.”

Your jaw fell open. Severus was smirking at you.

“Well you need these plants for tomorrow so why don’t you start over and just use my Super Growth from green-house four. It’ll be ready by tomorrow.” Professor Sprout clapped her hands and dirt fell off onto the ground. “It’s almost after hours so please finish up fast. I’ll be back to check on things after you’re both gone.”

You watched Sprout leave the green house and turned to Severus. “Why were you smirking?”

He pulled his mouth into a frown and left to get the Super Growth, leaving you alone to your thoughts. You had a feeling that come tomorrow morning the plants would be ruined again. This was your final grade for the end of first term and far too important to leave it to chance.

“We should stay here all night,” you said the second Severus walked back in.

“What? We’d get caught… or get detention.” He shook his head.

“And what happens when James and Sirius also ruin this one? I know you think it’s them too.” You stared at him until he was forced to react with a shrug.

After a while of working on the planter box Severus sighed. “Fine. I’ll stay as well… But tell me exactly how you think it’ll go. Because if you think you’ll be able to somehow stop them – ”

“Why is it suddenly just me? You just said you were staying too, didn’t you?”

He grumbled. “Fine. Then what? Do you think we’ll just ask nicely?”

You shook your head. “No, we’ll make another one, and switch it out.” You ignored his confusion and walked over to the extra wooden boxes and packed one full of dirt. “We’ll place this one on the shelf and switch it out when they leave. Give me the Super Growth.”

You popped several random seeds from a jar into the dirt and poured a small amount of Super Growth inside. “Let them destroy this one.” Within minutes, little leaves were growing out of both boxes. Severus put up the correct box on the shelf while you held onto the decoy. “Hide under here.” You pointed under the farthest table and shimmied under it, hugging the decoy box tight.

Severus hesitated before crawling in after you. “This is a bad idea. But I somehow doubt it’s your worst.”

You let your jaw drop and gasped. “Don’t pretend you know me… even if that was a lucky guess.”

“It wasn’t lucky, it was educated.” He raised his brow at you.

You squinted at him and leaned back against the table leg. He tried to do the same but his long legs barely fit. “Just throw them over mine.” You extended your legs out and motioned for him to place them over yours so he could have more room.

He looked at you cautiously and then did so, letting his feet poke out and leaned against the table leg with his arms crossed. He sat still for the next hour, watching you as you squirmed in your spot, hating having to sit still.

After an hour under the table had passed, and light no longer entered the green house, Professor Sprout looked in and checked the planter before locking the green house up with a simple spell.

“That’d never keep anyone out,” Severus commented when she left.

“Shhh. We’re still hiding from people!”

“Sorry.”

You giggled and blushed, pressing your hand to your lips. It was dark and impossible to see your face and you were glad for it. Hearing Severus apologize for rude or sarcastic comments was a rare event. Maybe you had gotten the wrong impression of him. He seemed a lot politer than the other boys he fought with – less kind – but still polite.

“Severus,” you whispered.

He didn’t respond at first. Then, “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry I blamed you for what happened with our plants. It wasn’t your fault. And those guys deserve what you give ‘em.” You scraped the wood box with your nail, waiting for him to respond. “It’s not your fault,” you repeated. He didn’t answer, but he kept his legs on yours and didn’t pull away.

After several more minutes he broke the silence. “You should change planters now.”

You nodded and crawled out from under the table. You switched them and crawled back, sliding your legs back under his and setting the leafy box to the side. Perfectly secure.

~ * ~ * ~

It must have been an hour in silence when you heard the voices. You smacked Severus’ leg in excitement, trying to get his attention.

“I heard them already!”

“Sorry.” You smiled.

They opened the door and someone whispered “Set it in and don’t forget the boundary!” Someone ran from the door to the boxes, whispered something, and ran back to the door. Then the same boy from before whispered “We’ll get it in an hour. Let’s go.” Then the door closed again and you and Severus were left alone in the shadows once more.

You stood up and looked towards the box of random leafs. The moonlight was hitting the boxes perfectly and there was a little creature sitting and chomping down your plants like a king at a feast. You walked closer, Severus approaching behind you as you put your hands to your hips.

“A knarl.” You looked at the tiny hedgehog-like creature and sighed.

“I’m surprised they were smart enough to give him a boundary.”

You laughed and turned to Severus. “What do we do now?”

The moon hit his face and you saw a grin appear. “We could undo the boundary.”

You laughed and pushed his shoulder. “And I’M the one with bad ideas? We can’t destroy everyone else’ plants.”

He was watching you with a gentle smile. His eyes traced your face and he finally nodded, looking much less mischievous. “What if we undo the boundary and put him on the ground. It can’t come up to eat anyone’s leaves but… it’ll scare those idiots when they can’t find it.”

You nodded with excitement and took out your wand, undoing the boundary. The knarl had just finished digging around when it saw the other leaves and lunged for them.

“Oh! No!” You pushed it away and Severus placed it on the ground. You watched the knarl crawl into the shadows and turned to Severus suddenly. “Severus… where’s our planter?”

His eyes widened, searching your hands. “YOU had it!”

“No! I got out first, leaving you the box!”

“Well I didn’t know you were leaving it for me!” he hissed.

Severus and you lunged for the floor, aiming your hands into the shadows for the little creature that would ruin your grades in a matter of minutes. Your body knocked into Severus and he groaned at the elbow jabbed into him.

“Get the box!” you yelled.

He crawled into the darkness towards the end table. “The last one!”

There was panic in his voice that sent a violent shiver down your body. You ran over, yelling “Lumos!” and spotted the knarl with a full plant in its mouth, roots and stems and everything. Without thinking you reached for it, almost fully diving onto Severus in order to capture the creature just out of reach of him.

“Ah! Don’t bite down!” You dropped your wand and held the knarl’s mouth open with your fingers while Severus shimmied around under you to get on his back and pull out his wand to shine a light on the situation.

He pulled the very delicate plant away from the tiny razor sharp teeth. “Got it!” he laughed.

You dropped the knarl, relieved Severus had rescued your last plant and laughed with him. You placed your hands on his chest and sat back, slowly realizing the position you were in. Severus’ wand hand slowly came down and his knuckle touched your knee softly. He watched you from below, unmoving with cheeks flushed.

Blush spread over your cheeks as well and you looked down at the soft touch of his knuckle that had turned into the soft rubs of his finger. He was gentle in the way he brushed the back of his finger over your skin. You smiled and looked back into his eyes, still staring at your face. They shifted back and forth, analyzing your eyes as if he could read your very soul.

You found yourself leaning forward, until your hair fell down like a curtain around your face, slowly encircling his as you kept going. You closed your eyes and within seconds your lips touched his. He was warm and so tender and cautious as he followed your movements.

You pressed in deeper, feeling his nose poke into your cheek and reveled in the warmth seeping into you. The air warmed as his arms wrapped around you. You let your body rest on his while your hands found the ends of his long black hair sprawled on the floor. You scrunched it up and brought it close to his scalp for a fistful to squeeze and pull.

He moaned and your lips finally parted from his as you smiled.

As much as you were enjoying kissing him on the dirt covered floor in the shadows of the third green house in the dead of night, you knew it had to end. “We should put that plant in a small pot and take it with us.” You felt Severus let out a breath on your lips and felt him nod.

You rolled off him and stood, brushing off the dirt and helped brush him off as well, smiling kindly at him as you did. He potted the plant and together you left the green house. Just as you were walking over one of the small hills of the grassy grounds, his pinky reached for yours, and you took his hand.

For a final goodnight kiss you pressed him to a wall and allowed his fingers to tangle in your hair. The kiss was rougher and more self-indulgent. When you finally parted he squeezed your hips and gave you one last quick kiss before leaving, clutching the pot, keeping it safe in his arms.

#  **~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~**


End file.
